by Larry EderFace it, Dwight Phillips is the Rodney Dangerfield of the long jump. The guy gets no respect. Now that he has won the WC long jump for the fourth time, equaling our favorite Marxist long jumper, Ivan Pedroso of Cuba, with four championships (fact: since 1995, only one person not named Phillips or Pedroso won a long jump title: Saldino of Panama).
In the qualifying, Dwight Phillips dropped a 8.32m qualifier, and he was on top of the world. This is how he won!
Dwight Phillips is king of the long jump world! photo by PhotoRun.net
Dwight Phillips of the US defended his title from 2009, and made it four titles (he won in 2003, 2005), with his 2011 title.
Phillips took control in round 1, with an 8.31m jump. Mitchell Watt of Australia fouled. Ngondidzashe Makusha of Zimbabwe responded with a jump of 8.29m. Luvo Mayonga of RSA responded with a jump of 8.21m.
In round 2, Phillips jumped 8.45m, and after that, he fouled, passed, and fouled two more times. Watt got his mojo, a bit, and jumped 8.33m, then 4.90m, then 7.79m, thena foul, then 8.06m. His 8.33m got him the silver.
Makusha took the bronze with his 8.29m. Yahya Barrabah of Morocco took the fourth position with his jump of 8.23m in his second attempt.
The U.S.’s Will Claye, who qualified in both the long and triple, ala Mike Conley, was ninth in 8.10m, which he hit on his third jump.
Respect (note 1111=4, his 4 champs?), photo by PhotoRun.netAfterwards, Dwight Phillips summed up his feelings this way:
“Yesterday, I jumped 8.32, today I jumped 8.32. I knew it was going to be a great night, the start of the championships I was not picked to make the finals.How do you overlook a champion? Track and field is about longevity, for the last decade, I have held it down for the USA.”
Dwight Phillips, 2011 WC gold medalist, long jump, photo by PhotoRun.net
